Moments
by SecretInk
Summary: Cresswell oneshots. A look into interactions we missed out on during and after the events of the books. Canon-verse.
1. Chapter 1

Since he had regained his eyesight a few days ago, Captain Carswell Thorne had taken his time to thoroughly inspect and reacquaint himself with every inch of his beloved ship (which may or may not or have involved rubbing his head along the interior walls, caressing every surface and cooing to the consoles). More often than not, though, he could be found either in the cockpit or - like now - in the bathroom.

They would dock onto Kai's ship in a few hours and who knew when Thorne would have the chance to shower and shave once they got to Luna? A captain always needed to look his best as long as he could, even amidst a revolution. And Thorne simply enjoyed pampering himself. He graciously applied his shaving cream, glad he could finally shave with his eyesight intact. Cuts and uneven stubbles were not attractive, after all.

He heard the door being activated from the outside but the electric lock kept it shut. Thorne didn't need to wonder for long who else wanted to use the bathroom when he heard a quiet, melodic humming from the other side. Not even thinking about it, Thorne used his elbow to activate the button and the door slid open to reveal a startled Cress. She clutched a towel to her chest, obviously having had the same idea as him. Minus the shaving, probably.

She seemed confused and Thorne was surprised when he felt a bit insecure under her scrutiny. He was used to girls gazing at him appreciatively, trying to catch his eye, but Cress's look had nothing flirty about it.

Obviously.

So much for feverish confessions of love. If only she would ogle his bare chest. But Cress resolutely kept her eyes on his foamy chin.

"Ooh, you're shaving," Cress finally said as if she had just figured it out. She probably hadn't seen anyone shaving before. How young had those other Shells been when she'd left them, he wondered? Although, judging from the mess of hair she sported when he first saw her, razors and scissors had probably been out of the question for Shells. "I'll come back later then." She backed away from the bathroom.

It was the first time in days that the both of them were alone, and Thorne didn't want to miss this chance to ... do what exactly? Talk to her? Stare some more at her pretty face that was now perfectly framed by short, golden curls? Confess ... something? He wasn't sure but he didn't want her to leave yet.

"Or better yet, you can keep me company?" he asked her, not sure how she would take it. Since he had gotten his eyesight back, or maybe even before that, Cress had made herself scarce around him. She was always flitting about or too immersed in some task or another to spend time with him. At least, Thorne hoped that she was, in fact, too busy and wasn't avoiding him on purpose. He missed their time together in the desert. With her talking and singing and confessing, things had been so much simpler then—aside from the severe dehydration, fever and possibility of a gruesome death, that is.

Cress turned around and looked at him with that unfathomable expression again. It was difficult to tell what went on in her mind, Thorne found. He'd never had trouble reading girls but Cress ... Cress was tricky. He thought it would get easier as soon as he got his eyesight back but no. And with her speaking so little since they came aboard, he had few ways of knowing what she thought.

But she finally nodded and leaned against the wall before the open door, hugging her towel. Pointedly staring at everything but him.

Oh well.

Thorne turned to the mirror again, grabbing his razor, and started to shave. His eyes kept flickering to Cress, though, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why this one girl was able to distract him from his own reflection - not an easy feat.

"Sooo, seems like we both had the same idea. I don't know what Cinder or Wolf are doing but I for one am going to take advantage of every shower I can get now."

That got a smile out of her. "Yes. I'll never take water and showers for granted ever again, I think." She sighed but suddenly perked up and sniffed around. His heart clenched uncomfortably at the sight of her cute, sun-kissed nose crinkling in delight. "Oooh, you—, I mean, this, this smells nice."

"Finally someone on this ship appreciates a good soap," he said with a big grin before deciding to let it be followed by a wink. Instead of the rosy blush he was expecting though, Cress just tentatively smiled back. Aces, what did he have to do to get this girl to like him back again? The whole hero business Kai had suggested suddenly didn't sound that unreasonable anymore.

Thorne was surprised when she spoke up, though. "I do. I mean, it's not as if I have anything to compare it to but it smells nice. On the satellite, I only got simple soaps without any scent."

Figures. It wasn't as if he'd had much time to inspect the satellite she had been imprisoned in but judging from the lack of personal belongings, a few simple dresses aside, it was clear that "Mistress" hadn't cared to provide Cress with anything but the bare necessities. And that wouldn't do anymore. "In that case ...," Thorne said, looking through his cabinet. He grabbed one of the expensive soaps, wrapped in equally expensive, crinkled paper, and handed it with flourish to a surprised Cress. "For you, milady."

While he had trouble reading Cress's expressions before, there was no way he could mistake her radiant smile for anything but pure joy now She took the soap with so much wonder and gratitude that it was as if Thorne had just handed her a basket full of diamonds. His fingers lingered a tad too long on hers but he hoped she didn't notice.

"For me?" she asked as if she couldn't believe it.

She sniffed at the soap in delight before looking at him. This time, she looked directly into his eyes and Thorne found it hard breathe. She was beautiful in every way, from her sky-blue eyes to every single freckle peppering her face. He hoped he hadn't messed up any chance he might have had with this sweet girl. So that maybe he could kiss her once more without them being in danger of dying.

Thorne had thought back to their kiss on top of the palace's rooftop probably more often than he should and he felt he hadn't appreciated it enough. It had been epic and exciting - a kiss worth waiting for, for sure. But now he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again.

Longer this time.

More passionately, with a touch of real emotions and not just a promise fulfilled.

Still watching her every facial expression, Thorne almost missed Cress thanking him. "I've never gotten a gift before, so this is my first one. Thank you, Captain. I'll cherish it."

"You're wel—wait, what? Your first present?" Thorne asked, perplexed. "Like, ever?"

Cress nodded happily, not aware of Thorne's shift in tone. "Yeah. Mistress gave me some dresses and hair pins but I doubt they count."

"No, certainly not." He couldn't believe it. Nothing in all those years? No wonder she was so delighted by a piece of soap. "Sorry, but no. This can't be your first gift."

"Wha...?" Cress brows furrowed, her whole face an expression of utter dejection. She quickly regained her composure though and tentatively handed back the soap. He didn't take it.

"I didn't mean it like that. Keep the soap, Cress. It's just... that soap is hardly an adequate first gift. Even though it's of top-notch quality." She looked only slightly consoled and it broke his heart. "Listen, when this whole revolution stuff is finally done, you'll get the very best first gift from me. Something that is even better than this soap. Deal?"

She shyly shook her head. "That's alright, you don't have to. In case you have ... other plans afterward."

Thorne rinsed out his razor and grabbed one of the smaller towels. "What could be more important than finding the perfect gift for a damsel? A most heroic damsel, but still." He nudged her slightly, relieved when she smiled again.

Cress laughed. "I don't know about the heroic part."

"I do. So, Cress, any particular wishes for your first present? Hey, when's your birthday? We can celebrate it. The whole gang coming together."

With a tiny shrug, Cress hesitated a bit before answering. "I don't know when my birthday is. A few days ago, I didn't even know who my father was."

Thorne nodded. "That makes sense. But you could find out, couldn't you? Hack into some birth registers and hospital records. Sounds like something you could do in your sleep."

Cress flushed at the compliment. It was as if he had finally found a way to break a few of the barriers that had developed between them lately. She finally nodded and he liked that she didn't try to convince him otherwise. She was a far cry away from being vain or conceited about it, but it was a nice to finally see her acknowledge her worth.

"That settles it. When we reach Luna, we get you into the surveillance room, then you do your very important hacking job, ensuring Cinder can take down the evil queen and look into your birth register." He paused. Thorne wanted to add something about maybe getting Cress to hack into his old account or transferring some well-earned reward money.

But no, he couldn't ask that of her. Not if he wanted to become worthy of her like he promised himself he would. It was tempting, though.

"I could do it from here", she said quietly, interrupting his train of thought.

That surprised him. "You could? Then why don't you? We still have a bit of time until Kai reaches the Rampion. Sounds like something to kill time with instead of just waiting around."

When he looked at Cress, she sported an expression he knew only too well. Thorne had often worn it himself when he didn't want to talk about a certain subject any further. Unlike him, though, Cress didn't smoothly change the subject but remained silent, almost sullen. It was the most teenage-like look he had seen on Cress so far and it made him smile. So, instead of pushing her for an answer, Thorne quietly applied his aftershave, taking his time with it. He knew a thing or two about stubborn teenagers.

"My ... mother."

He looked up to watch her reflection in the mirror. "Yes?"

Cress glanced at him unhappily. "If I were to look for my birthdate, I would also find out about my mother. And I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

A mother who gave up her child to be killed.

He didn't think anyone would be ready for that and he wasn't quite sure how to answer. Instead, he simply nodded. "Fair enough. Take your time. But Cress, they—" he made a sweeping gesture even though he didn't quite know who "they" referred to. The witch, certainly. Queen Levana, too. But it probably went beyond those two, these systematic prejudices and cruelties. It made no sense to dwell on that now, though. "They already took a lot from you. I would try to get at least something back."

When she didn't answer right away, he shrugged. "Your choice, obviously. But this way you'll get presents and a cake out of it. I heard that Scarlet makes a killer lemon cake. Old family recipe."

Cress visibly perked up at the mention of cake.

He quickly changed the topic. "So, gifts. Anything you always wished for? Something your heart desires?" What could someone like Cress wish for? He thought back to their time to the desert. "Like, some fancy shoes?" he said with a wink, remembering her wistful hope after trekking the desert barefooted.

"Oh, I already got some shoes." Cress wiggled her feet, drawing his focus to some battered canvas shoes.

It took Thorne awhile to realize that she must have gotten them from someone in the caravan in Kufra. They were made for casual strolls in warmer regions, but certainly not for quick escapes from a fight. These shoes didn't seem practical for what they had planned on Luna and it worried Thorne. He didn't want her to slip and fall in case things went awry.

There wasn't much he could do, though. He doubted he could find any leftover military boots that could fit her tiny feet. Tiny feet that led to some very nice, tanned legs, he noticed before he made himself look away.

"I'm sure we will find something better. But okay, no shoes for your birthday." He tapped at his chin. "I'll think of something. But we will celebrate it. With gifts and cake and everything."

"Did your mother bake birthday cakes for you?" she suddenly asked him with a smile. It was a simple question and something in her tone was genuinely curious.

But before he could stop himself, Thorne snorted at that thought. He couldn't remember his mother using the kitchen for anything other than getting something Janette or one of the android bots had prepared before. The idea that his mother would be in the kitchen wearing an apron and ruining her perfectly-manicured nails to bake a cake she could just as easily buy was ridiculous. But Cress couldn't know that and she was obviously confused by his reaction. He would usually change the topic and steer it away from his family and past, but something made him explain. After all, she had opened up to him, too. It was only fair to reveal at least something of his childhood.

"Sorry, Cress. It's just ... my mom wasn't the baking type. Or cooking type. Or anything of that sort."

An image of his mother appeared in his mind: Immaculately dressed, her hair fashionably styled and with a constantly absent expression—as if nothing really mattered to her.

Except when it came to the way her family presented itself to the public.

And opulent birthday parties, always thoroughly planned by some renowned party planner in order to impress the neighbors and friends, were part of that ideal family image. But it hardly seemed justified to be bitter about a lack of home-made cakes when he was talking to someone who had never gotten one in her whole life.

"But she bought some from a bakery downtown. Always shaped like a spaceship."

And expensive like everything Laurel Thorne bought. A designer cake which would have saved him three months of playing Royals if he had gotten the money instead.

"A Rampion cake?" Cress asked, a knowing smile on her lips. Like everyone in his crew, she knew how much this ship mattered to him. But she was the only one who had visited him in his cabin, inquiring after his model spaceship.

"No. But I would have loved that." Fancy racers, but never a plain cargo ship to match the spaceship-themed party he got every year until he was too old for them. Even Janette, who had often snuck him her homemade cookies, had never managed to get the form just right.

If he sounded bitter, Cress didn't seem to notice. "Too bad. I always wanted to try baking. And cooking. I've often watched the food networks with Little ... on my own." She looked thoughtful for a minute."Maybe I can bake a Rampion cake for you? For your birthday? If you still want to meet up by that time?"

Finally done with his beauty routine and knowing he had to let Cress use the bathroom at one point, Thorne stepped away from the sink to face her directly. She looked unsure about her proposal but he couldn't be anything but touched. Here she was, offering to make him the cake he always wanted to have when he was younger.

"Or not," she said when he didn't say anything. "I mean, it's probably harder than it looks. And you probably have other things to do. I just meant... to return the favor, you know? For the gift. And the soap." As if to demonstrate her point, she held up the soap bar. She looked positively unhappy.

"How I could say no to a homemade Rampion cake?"

Thorne was tempted to tweak her nose, and if she had been Scarlet or Cinder he would've had no qualms about it. But this was Cress and he wasn't sure how she would take it. He took his shirt instead and started to dress again.

When he looked at Cress he could see a very pronounced blush on her face. It was unlikely that she was flustered by his flawless physique, as much as Thorne would like to think otherwise. Cress was just not used to guys dressing in front of her and he had to be more careful about that. She looked at everything but him again, probably still unsure about her offer. It was hard to ignore his disappointment but not to hide it. "Sounds like a date. On May 22, by the way."

"I know," Cress said with a small, embarrassed smile.

Ah, her research.

 _Of course_ she would know his birthday. And blood type and final grades, among many other things.

"I know you know. But don't you forget. I'm looking forward to it."

And it was hard not to.

Thorne wasn't worried about the revolution. They would win, simple as that. He had always been lucky and he would easily bet his money on Cinder and Cress and all of them being successful. They would rescue Scarlet and they would defeat Levana, so Cinder could become queen (hopefully he could get in a punch or two when he met that traitor, Jacin, again, too).

But the time afterward... where would he end up? Pardoned in the Eastern Commonwealth but still sentenced for his crimes in Australia and the American Republic? Or would he be free—free to meet Cress and make good on his promise to buy her her first gift? Would she even remember their conversation today? Would she still want to meet him even after she could do whatever she wanted and go wherever she wanted ... meet whoever she wanted?

He didn't know and it made no sense to think about it now. That's not who he was. He didn't worry, but planned for the best outcome instead.

And this outcome involved at least two birthdays he could spend with Cress. It wasn't much but it was a start.

An opportunity.

Thorne was good at seizing those.

He was also good at masking his feelings, so that's what he did now. "I'm finished. Thanks for waiting but it wouldn't do to rush. What do you think?" He struck a pose, hand on chin to draw the focus on his now smooth chin and a—hopefully—dazzling smile on his lips.

Cress's blush intensified and he hoped he hadn't made her uncomfortable once more when she answered. "Good. Not as stubbly." And in a smaller voice, she added, "I like it."

Progress. He would take it.

"Me too. Now, the bathroom is all yours." With a small bow, he led Cress into the bathroom, delighted by her small giggle. The door closed behind him and shortly after, the now familiar humming started again, even if it was muffled by the walls between them. He easily picked up the tune and hummed it the whole way back to his cabin.

* * *

 **A/N** : _Hi everyone. Since I'm a bit stuck with PEA and TWMA, I thought I could publish a oneshot instead. It was actually the first thing I wrote about a year ago and I hope you'll like it. I miss canon Cresswell so, from time to time, I would like to write a small oneshot about them. Similar to this one and "Play Ball". They are unconnected so I'll write and update whenever inspiration strikes. :)_


	2. Chapter 2

Cress swiveled in the captain's chair, her bare feet dangling over the ground. It was quiet on the ship and Cress wondered if everyone was already asleep in their quarters. Cress had noticed that the captain, Cinder and Kai (when he had still lived with them on the Rampion) had stuck to a sleeping pattern aligned with the time zone of New Beijing. Wolf might have adjusted too, but since he was mostly in the quarters he and Scarlet had shared, Cress couldn't be sure. And even though Iko didn't need sleep as an android, she usually followed Cinder's lead. If Cinder went to her quarter to sleep, Iko went too - maybe pretending to sleep like the rest of them.

Quickly calculating the current time in New Beijing, Cress figured it must have been around half past ten. She wondered if it was a normal time for people to go to bed or at least, if that was the normal sleeping schedule for the crew. She should have paid more attention.

Cress hadn't experienced the routine of day and night time since she left the lava tubes. There, the lights had turned on and off in (what the shell kids assumed were) regular intervals. After she came to live in the satellite, she had always tried setting up a routine for herself but boredom and lack of physical exercise never allowed for anything but light sleep at odd hours. And when she overworked herself to finish Mistress's task or binge-watched a netdrama, Cress often lost track of time. On-board the Rampion, it usually gave her a bit of free time while everyone was asleep to work in the cockpit.

She had already jammed the tracking device just to make sure no one - Earthens and Lunars alike - would be able to trace the Rampion, and she had deleted the flight route of their podship that brought Kai back to the Eastern Commonwealth. Cress had also re-calibrated their own flight route and followed the newsfeeds to see if the truce held up. So far, the queen had kept her word. In anticipation of the upcoming wedding, reporters from all over the world flocked to New Beijing in hopes to be the first to get some new information. Since the palace didn't give out any news since the kidnapping and return of the Emperor, the newsfeeds focused on the new spread of the letumosis virus. Cress suspected that the queen's truce didn't extend to letumosis. It seemed as if Queen Levana had managed to smuggle more infected Lunars to Earthwith the ships that carried the wolf soldiers. The soldiers that Cress had helped hide for Mistress Sybil.

Cress sighed and rubbed her eyes. It wouldn't do to dwell on that now, especially since there were more pressing matters at hand. For now, there wasn't anything else to do, so Cress considered going to her own quarters, maybe stopping by the galley for a light snack, when she heard footsteps making their way to the cockpit.

The captain's footsteps.

She could easily recognize them. Not as shuffled as Wolf's or bouncy as Iko's. Not as uneven as Cinder's, as the weight of her two different legs shifted with each step. No, the Captain's footsteps were a confident stride, each step steady and purposeful.

The steps came closer, and with tingles shooting up and down her neck, Cress felt rather than heard him approach her chair. "Hey," she heard say him from above her.

She had to crane her neck to see his face over the headrest and then it was upside-down. His easy grin was unmistakable as he peered down at her. "Hello, Captain."

Thorne rested his chin on his hand, the holograms from the invisiscreens illuminating his features with a bluish glow, playing off his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose."Still up?"

"I just finished up a few things." She pointed to the various holograms, displaying their flight route and the codes for the interface even though she knew he wouldn't understand any of it. "It's always easier to concentrate when everyone's asleep so that's when I usually work on my things."

"Oh." She heard him rustling as he moved his hands away from the chair. "I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'll leave you to your work then."

"No!" She gave a breathy laugh and swiveled the chair to face him. "You're not interrupting me. But we have so many things to plan together that I only have a bit of time to do some last check-ups. I'm mostly done anyway. But I would like some company," she added shyly. It was a strange thing for her to say, but she had come to enjoy company. It was nice to have someone to talk to, or just sitting nearby, after so many years of isolation. Sometimes Wolf joined her in the cockpit, quiet and unassuming, but she took comfort in his presence too. But Thorne's easy jokes and chatter were her favorite.

Thorne smiled, relieved. "Glad to hear that." He walked around to take the copilot's seat, his eyes glancing over the various holograms. He seemed lost in thought, but his voice was clear and focused when he asked, "Say, Cress, do you have access to the maglev train route maps?"

That caught Cress off-guard. "On Luna?"

He nodded but didn't elaborate.

"Um, yes. Of course." She turned to the interface, quickly typing in a few commands. Cress had already hacked into the Lunar database, copying the various maps from the train shuttle routes, the various sectors, as well as the layout of Artemisia and the palace. She quickly pulled up the one Thorne had asked for. "Here. This is the maglev train route map for each of the sectors and the ones connecting the domes with each other."

Thorne studied the map intently. "Any way you could send it to my portscreen?"

"Sure." Her fingers flew over the control panels. "Done. Anything else you need?"

When she turned to him, his eyes had already left the map. Instead, the same intense look was now directed at ... her.

Cress still wasn't used to him having his eyesight back. She knew she had made a sorry sight the first time he had seen her and it didn't seem like his impression had changed since then. Sometimes, she caught him watching her from the corner of his eyes but never knew what to make of it. Whatever his thoughts, she just hoped he couldn't read her lingering feelings for him.

"Um." Cress struggled to find something to say as the silence stretched on. "Do you want to switch chairs? So you can take a look at the maps?" Thorne never complained about her hogging the captain's chair but she had seen him kick Cinder out of the chair when she sat in it. They all knew how peculiar Thorne was about the captain's chair.

He startled at her question but quickly caught himself. "No, it's fine. You're the only exception, though. Otherwise everyone wants their turn and what good is the captain's chair then, right?" He winked at her but he still seemed distracted as his fingers ran over the controls. Cress sucked in air as he came dangerously close to the emergency button but he didn't push it. Of course he didn't. He wasn't blind anymore.

"Speaking of things to share..." He retracted his hand, only to drum his fingers along the armrest. He seemed almost nervous. "If you're finished with"—he gestured towards the invisiscreens—"your smart stuff, would you come to my room?"

Cress's eyes got huge. "Your ... room?" It wasn't as if she hadn't been to his room before. Sometimes to bring him stuff, other times to administer his eyedrops. But never had she been invited so formally.

"It won't take long," he hurried to say. And then a smile tugged at his lips, a tad roguish, just like she remembered from his mug shot. "And I'm sure you're going to like it."

Thorne left a very confused Cress, whistling as he made his way down the hall and off to his room.

Cress replayed his words in her head.

His room ...

Things to share ...

Thorne wouldn't just barge in and invite her to his room for a midnight rendez-vous. Or would he? No. But what else could he have meant?

Her mind a whirlwind of thoughts, Cress had trouble focusing on the task at hand. But the work was easy and her hands seemed to have memorized each step on their own, so she finalized everything she needed in a few minutes.

Cress allowed herself a few minutes to calm her racing heart and try her best to school her features into nonchalance before she slowly made her way towards the captain's cabin.

The door was slightly ajar which wasn't surprising since he was expecting her. She took a deep breath and stepped in. "Captain?"

He whirled around, his hands behind his back. "Cress! Just the girl I wanted to see!"

"Um, you told me to come here."

He winked at her. "Because you're the girl I wanted to see." He took a step towards her. "Nice how it all comes together, right?"

Not knowing how to answer, Cress just shrugged.

At her less enthusiastic response, his face fell a bit. He pointed towards his bed with his elbow. His hands were still firmly clasped behind his back. "Shall we?"

He wanted them to go to his bed? Together? Was the bed what he wanted to ... share with her? She hadn't been prepared for that. Even her hopeful fantasy about a midnight rendez-vous hadn't included them sharing a bed.

Thorne seemed to her guess her thoughts. "No funny business, I promise." He took a seat at the edge of the bed and Cress followed him. "I just don't have enough seating arrangements. I should probably correct that. You think the Lunar palace has nice furniture? A recliner maybe? Or a fancy hammock?"

Cress had no idea but she smiled at the image of Thorne stealing the queen's furniture. "You think Cinder would approve of you taking the things that rightfully belong to her?"

Thorne didn't miss a beat. "Sure. It's not as if Cinder could appreciate any of it." Turning to her so their knees were touching, he took his hands from behind his back and held two fists towards her, his pride evident. "Pick one."

Cress stared at Thorne's outstretched hands. There didn't seem to be any difference between them, so she wasn't sure what she was looking for. Unsure of what to do, she looked at Thorne.

"Just pick one of the hands," he told her. "And don't worry, it's the same thing in both. You can't choose wrong."

Well, in that case ... Cress tapped on Thorne's right hand. He turned it around and revealed something round wrapped in silver paper. There were tiny stars spelling _Orion's_ ... a name Cress has heard countless times before.

"It's a chocolate truffle with a hazelnut crème filling," Thorne explained and then paused. "You know what chocolate is?"

Cress pursed her lips. "Of course."

A small chuckle. "I know you do. I'm just teasing. But that's not any chocolate. _Orion's_ is the best of the best. They are produced in France but they are a world-wide brand—"

"Belgium." At his confused look, she explained, "It's from the Principality of Belgium. Not France."

"Interesting. I didn't know that." He actually seemed impressed. "Did you already have some?"

She fingered the hemline of her short dress as she remembered the dull frozen and pre-packaged meals - the only food she'd ever known until she landed on Earth. The stew she ate in the desert had been delicious, and she hated that, after everything that happened with Jina and her gang kidnapping her, the memory had soured somewhat. "I never got chocolate. Or sweets. Mistress only got me food that was healthy." And vitamins and supplements trying to make up for her dull diet and lack of sun exposure.

"I thought as much." There was a small silence. "Anyway, chocolate _is_ healthy. For body and soul. Here." He handed her one of the truffles.

Cress took it delicately between her fingers. The silver paper was smooth and warm from Thorne's hands. "Where did you get it?" She hadn't found anything close to that on the Rampion, not even as they had raided every crook and nanny to find something—anything—edible. Kai had promised to have more than pickled asparagus waiting for them for when they would get aboard the ship that would take them to Luna.

Thorne had already unwrapped his truffle. It was brown with a white swirl on top and Cress could smell the faint scent of sweetness coming off of it. "From my secret stash. I had a few things stored but most of the things went bad during the time I was in jail. I had a box of chocolate peppermint cookies, a package of premium coffee and other stuff but had to throw everything away. But then I remembered the box of truffles and they are still good I'm sure."

"You hid food from us?"

"Two truffles? Course. It's not as if we were starving. Chocolate might be good for body and soul but it's not very nutritious." At her admonished look he added, "I only had these two left and Cinder didn't really care for chocolate, I gathered, and if I had offered to share the last two truffles with her, she might have gotten a wrong idea about us," he drawled jokingly. "Wolf is on a tomato trip and I doubt he would have taken lightly to me giving Scarlet a truffle. Iko doesn't have taste buds and his Highness probably swims in fancy chocolate. Also, that way, there would be more chocolate for me. It's the last two, after all, and stars know when we'll get something this good again." He took his truffle with the other hand, and sucked some chocolate from his thumb and forefinger. "Also, I shared everything else with the crew. As a captain should," he finished with a proud smile.

Cress studied the little truffle in her hand. If it was the last one ... "You don't have to share it with me. They're yours. It's fine if you want to eat both."

A knowing smile appeared on Thorne's lips. "I knew you would say that. I want to share with you, Cress. I guessed that you never had a real treat, so I figured you would appreciate it." He looked at her sheepishly. "I wanted you to have something nice since most of your experiences since the satellite crash didn't turn out so well."

Cress carefully unwrapped the paper, picking at each edge slowly. The truffle looked the same as the one in Thorne's hand–brown with a white swirl on top and full of promise. Cress had always dreamed of eating all sorts of Earthen food - juicy fruits, spicy stews, warm bread, and so many other things. But nothing, nothing, as much as chocolate. Everyone seemed to love chocolate. Even Thorne had said it was good for body and soul. There was nothing she wanted more than to bite into this sweet treat.

Still, she hesitated.

"What's wrong?"

Cress startled. She hadn't thought that he could see her stalling. What else could he see then? "I was just thinking that I had so many expectations of so many things and then they didn't turn out exactly how I imagined them to be."

There was a flicker of hurt on Thorne's face but it vanished just as quickly. For a moment, Cress wondered if Thorne thought she was referring to him when instead, he was the only thing that had turned out so much better than she could have ever dreamed of. But how could she tell him that without revealing feelings that would never be reciprocated?

Lost for words, the moment was gone, leaving the atmosphere not as light as it been before.

His tone a bit more serious, Thorne let out a sigh before he spoke. "Listen, Cress ... maybe it's everything you wanted, maybe it's not. But the Cress I had gotten to know isn't one to back down from a new experience." Thorne popped the truffle into his mouth, his cheek bulging. He closed his eyes in obvious enjoyment as he ate the truffle. "Unless you want to give up that truffle that easily. I sure won't mind a second helping," he said, the challenge evident.

Cress grinned. The scent was tantalizing and unlike anything Cress had ever smelled before. She bit tentatively into the soft chocolate ... and every taste bud came alive from the rich sweetness. Cress had no reference for the taste but it was wonderful. It melted on her tongue and quickly, Cress devoured the rest of the truffle, licking the rest from her fingers.

"So ..." Cress opened her eyes to see Thorne's heart-stopping grin. "I assume it met your expectations?"

Cress shook her head. "Exceeded them," she told him with a happy sigh. She smoothed out the foil paper, vowing to to save it as a keepsake.

"Good. I'm glad something finally did. As I said, I wanted you to have something nice."

"It was more than nice."

Unexpectedly, his gaze darted to her lips. Cress had to resist the urge to wet them. Without knowing why, the atmosphere changed once more. Where before the tension had been awkward, now Cress felt as if there was anticipation building between them. Cress didn't have the words to express it, but every fiber of her body was suddenly filled with longing. If it were a netdrama, the music would have switched to something soft and wistful.

Slowly, one of his hands reached towards her face, his body leaning ever so close.

Cress's heart thumped loudly in her chest.

His fingers grazed her chin, angling her head. Just when Cress expected him to pull her face towards his, for a second, his eyes darted back to hers. Emotions she couldn't guess passed over his face. As he was drawing her in for the kiss as she expected—hoped for, wanted, _needed_ —his thumb found the bottom of her lip.

And then he rubbed it.

"Just a smudge of chocolate," he murmured, his thumb gently caressing the corner of her mouth.

Cress wanted to die of mortification. He hadn't wanted to kiss her at all - he wanted to clean her up! If the Rampion's captain's room had a trapdoor, she would have wanted it to open up right under her at that very moment and suck her out into the void. She must have looked like an uncivilized slob who couldn't even eat properly. Thorne would never think of her as an elegant, beautiful woman—she was sure. Not someone he would even considered dating.

She couldn't even blame him.

"There, all good." His fingers left her face. If he shared any of her thoughts, it didn't show. Instead, his smile was soft as ever. But this time, Cress didn't melt at the sight as she usually would.

"I'm sorry," Cress stammered. She quickly stood up, smoothing down the hem of her dress.

Thorne raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

She didn't answer. "Thank you for sharing your chocolate. I think I should go to bed though."

This time she could read the surprise on his face. "So soon? You know, I have a netscreen here. Maybe we could watch one of those netdramas you mentioned? Would be a nice diversion from all the breaking news about royal weddings and deathly plagues for once."

It was tempting, and only two minutes ago, Cress would have jumped at the chance to join Thorne, maybe snuggling up to him on his bed while they watched a netdrama together. Maybe a romantic scene between two passionate lovers on the screen would have enticed the both of them to share equally passionate kisses off-screen.

But now she was just too embarrassed. It took everything she had not to bolt out of the door. "Maybe another time."

Thorne hesitated but then nodded. "Of course. You want me to accompany you back to your room?" He pointed to the general direction of her cabin.

He was so kind, her heart hurt. If only he were the greedy fugitive she had initially thought him to be. If only he were just the dashing hero she first had a crush on. She could have easily gotten over him much sooner. But Thorne was so, _so_ much more and it made the realization that he would never feel the same way for her so, _so_ much worse.

But her time hiding her true intentions from Mistress Sybil had taught her one thing. Plastering a carefree smile on her lips, she declined his offer politely. "No need, thank you. I'll stop by the bathroom first. Gotta brush my teeth," she added. She walked towards the door and opened it. "Goodnight, captain."

Thorne stood up as well, his hands buried in his pockets. "Goodnight, Cress."

Cress stepped out into the hall where everything was dark and quiet except for the constant humming of the engines. She was glad no one was up anymore and she could be alone. As much as she had dreaded the isolation she had been forced into while growing up, she now welcomed the silence. It helped her mind focus, like the way it had needed to in the desert, where she had told herself that every step she took was another step toward leaving her prison behind.

Now, with every step she took, she told herself to leave behind feelings that held her captive just as much.

And still, she didn't let go of the silver chocolate foil.


	3. Chapter 3

"Stupid thing!"

Cress looked up as Thorne erupted in a string of curses, shaking the little barcode scanner wildly in the hopes of getting it to work. Shaking her head, Cress focused on taking stock of the many crates filled with countless vials of antidote. Well, not countless for long, as Cress and Thorne were in the middle of counting them. Cress focused on looking through the crates for vials that, even after mission to a town or hospital, were still full and could be used for their next trip. The empty vials would be brought back to Luna and exchanged for more antidote. Thorne's task was scanning the crates—apparently, with little success.

"Aces, why can't the scanner work for just two days straight? I knew the military was cheap but this is annoying."

Cress didn't say anything. She had given up mentioning that he could do the task manually. It would take longer but she had learned that Thorne didn't like doing his work one way when there was an easier way to do it.

It was only when he slapped the device that she chimed in. "Don't break it. The scanner is sensitive and won't return to the American Republic until the end of the week." So far, the crew had managed to break three scanners—two because the small device had slipped from Wolf's massive hands and the third one was thrown against a wall in an angry outburst, courtesy of Scarlet, who shared Thorne's thoughts on doing the task manually.

He scoffed. "Kai told me that Cinder uses that trick all the time and it works."

Cress pursed her lips. "Maybe on portscreens but not with the barcode scanner. Give it to me."

"Gladly." Instantly, his mood changed as he handed the scanner over to Cress and took a relaxed seat next to her, popping up his feet on one of the crates, obviously enjoying the break.

Cress shook her head with a smile and examined the scanner. She instantly noticed the problem and quickly re-configured the device so it would actually scan the crates and not just tell the content and quantity of it. She tested the scanner on one of the crates and it worked as it was supposed to.

"I love it when you sing."

As usual, Cress hadn't noticed that she had started singing (even though she tried to be mindful if they were among strangers) but it never seemed to bother Thorne. On the contrary, he often stopped to listen to her, sometimes even humming or singing along if he knew the song—and sometimes even if he didn't.

Still, she blushed at his compliment. "Thank you." She handed him the scanner.

He sighed, but duly took it and together, they continued to work. Even the routine tasks she had so abhorred on her satellite were much more enjoyable with Thorne's company. She happily hummed a few popular songs for Thorne to chime in, only interrupting herself when she need him to get her something from the upper crates.

"You're in a good mood."

Cress grinned at him. "Shouldn't I be?"

"Oh, you should, after all you're in the company of Captain Thorne," Thorne told her with a winning smile.

"Exactly," she agreed with a laugh.

"Aw, darling, I'm flattered." He blew her a kiss. "But seriously, why are you in such a good mood? Do you know something I don't?"

Cress shrugged, carefully placing the full vials in one of the empty crates. "It's as you said. I just like spending time together with you."

He strutted over to her, practically preening at what she said. "You have good taste. I'm the best company you can get."

"And the vainest."

"That too."

He helped her close the crate and scan it. With it being the last box, their work was finally done.

Thorne leaned against the crate, eyeing her. "If you're already this happy about storing and taking stock for antidote, I can't wait until we're doing something _really_ exciting together." He coughed, a hint of red on his cheeks. "You know, stuff like ... dancing."

Cress's heart fluttered at the thought. Distributing antidotes to places where the the deadly letumosis virus had spread didn't leave much room for sightseeing or fun activities of any kind. Cress didn't mind—the newness of changing landscapes and meeting people hadn't worn off yet—but their dating so far had been unconvential since they hadn't been able to do much of what she had seen couples do in the netdramas. They already lived together but never went out on a real date. They would protect each other at all costs but had never even watched a movie together. Or danced with each other. Hardly anything other couples did to get to know each other.

Although there was kissing, Cress conceded. Lots of it, actually.

Cress smiled at the memories of all the kisses they had shared, completely missing what Thorne said next. It was only when he clapped his hands and called for Darla, that snapped out of her daydreams. Suddenly, music blared out of the speakers.

"Um, Thorne? What's going on?"

He gave her his most winning smile, the one that usually made her swoon but now filled her with some trepidation. "What's going on is that is that we"—he shimmied over to her, taking off his leather jacket in the process—" are going to dance. You owe me a dance."

Cress crossed her arms. "I do not."

He continued his movements as he made his way towards her, never faltering. "You do. We never got a chance at Cinder's coronation after all."

Cress remembered that he had told her she owed him a dance at Cinder's coronation and she had still been recovering from her stomach wound. She had been looking forward to a dance then but now, she felt some of the old shyness coming back.

She took a step back from Thorne who was still swaying to the beat. "I'm not dancing."

"Aww, Cress, don't be a spoilsport. Also, I've seen you dancing around the galley and through the corridors, so don't tell me you can't dance," he told her with a wink, offering her his hand.

Her cheeks turned red as she imagined Thorne watching her as she did the dancing routines she had picked up from years on the satellite. Growing up as isolated as she had, one of the trickier challenges for Cress was that she never had a real comparison of how well (or not) she was doing in many aspects of life. She was smart, that she knew. Sybil had singled her out for that reason. But was she a good singer, could she explain things well to others or was she funny? She didn't know. And she didn't know if she was a good dancer or would embarrass herself in front of Thorne.

Even though he just complimented her dancing, she still wasn't convinced. She stayed where she was, not taking his hand. He slowly lowered it with a raised eyebrow.

Cress almost regretted her decision when Thorne suddenly erupted into a coughing fit, doubling over and clutching the crate for support. "Thorne!" She ran to his side, rubbing his back in what she hoped was a soothing motion.

"Cress," he murmured, looking up at her with pleading eyes, before coughing once more. "Cress, darling, I can't hide it any longer. You need to know that I ... I'm going to die." He clutched at his heart." And I never even danced with you."

"Oh, you!" Cress let go of Thorne who was still pitifully coughing but now she could hear how fake it sounded. "You scared me!"

He didn't seem to listen. "We were going to have such an epic dance, like, in the dramas. But, no—I'll die alone, never having danced with you, not once." Another overly dramatic coughing fit accompanied a mischievous wink.

She was surprised that he could recall her feverish whining almost word for word but it certainly wasn't flattering. "I hope you remember that you in that scenario didn't grant me my wish for a kiss. _You're not dying now_ ," she mimicked Thorne when he had denied that she was about to die in the desert. He had been right of course. But that didn't mean she was taking to his joking lightly.

"But I am dying, Cress. Don't let me die without having danced with you," he pleaded with a puppy-dog expression.

Thorne wasn't the only one remembering their exchange in the desert though. "You told me then it wasn't a good time for romance. That you were itchy and sweaty and hadn't brushed your teeth for two days. Well, I'm tired and not wearing anything appropriate for dancing and don't know the steps."

"Boo, Cress. Those are the lamest excuses ever."

She poked him in the side. "Didn't you forget to cough a bit more?

"Oh, yeah." He gave another cough. "Don't let me die without giving me a dance worth waiting for. And if I have to count one more vial with antidote I'll surely die."

And Cress couldn't help it—she had to laugh. He was so ridiculous going to such lengths to get her to dance with him ... how could she resist?

Thorne must have known that he had won her over because he offered her his hand again and this time, she took it. Together, they stood up, but Thorne didn't let go off her hand. He drew her closer and quickly led her into movements that matched the song blaring from the speaker. It wasn't as formal as the choreographies she had seen on the net or but a fun mix between twirls and steps she caught from dancers in videos. Soon, she forgot her shyness and laughed and danced with Thorne as he lifted her off the ground and spun her around.

She had never felt this light before.

Eventually, he lowered her back down and they continued to sway to the music. The rhythm was off—the song was still fast-paced—but neither of them seemed to mind. The height difference didn't make it easy to keep eye contact so Cress was content to snuggle close to Thorne and lean her head against his chest while his hands traced light patterns on her back.

When the song ended, Thorne told Darla to turn off the music completely. Silence filled the cargo bay but it didn't evoke the cold loneliness Cress had experienced in the satellite. Enclosed in Thorne's arms, loneliness was the last thing she felt.

She felt his lips on the top of the head, placing a light kiss on her hair. "I love you."

Cress turned her head to look up at him, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. "I love you too."

He nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. "I'm glad those are the last words I'll hear." He let her go and then, without warning, slumped to the ground in the most dramatic fashion, sprawled out in front of Cress's feet.

"Seriously?" She crouched down beside him but he didn't flinch. "Thorne?" She nudged him in the side but he remained unresponsive. If she had learned anything about Thorne it was that he could pursue whatever he wanted with a single-minded discipline. Stealing the Rampion was just one of the many ways he had proven that, just as much as aiding Cinder's revolution had. And he was patient. If he wanted to, he could probably lie on the cold floor for hours on end. Until he got what he wanted.

Whatever that might be. She had already danced with him. It had been fun and they had laughed so what was he up to now?

"You know, if I were Cinder, I would just put my hands over your nose and mouth until you were forced to move from lack of oxygen. And Jacin would let you just lie here and ignore you."

Thorne's bottom lip slightly jutted out, indicating a small pout that made her laugh. So, he was responding somewhat.

She played with the buttons of his shirt. "And Iko would strip you right here"—an interested raise of his eyebrow that made Cress roll her eyes—" and then snap some compromising pictures of you two which she would then sell to some tabloids for a pair of designer shoes."

A shudder went through his body, making her grin.

"No? Okay, now what should I do to raise you from the dead?" Cress pondered playfully, and as if in answer, Thorne puckered his lips comically, adding some kissing noises for effect. Cress couldn't help but chuckle at his antics.

A kiss—she should have known that that was what he wanted.

Cress tucked some strands of hair behind her ear as she crouched a bit closer to him, a ball of nervousness forming in the pit of her stomach. It's not as if they hadn't kissed before but so far, every kiss had been instigated by Thorne. Partly because his height made it easier for him to bend down to her but because she was much shyer than him. She was aware that he was more experienced than her, more comfortable with flirting and and any kind of physical contact whereas Cress tended to second-guess herself a lot: Was it the right time? Did he want to kiss her right now? And what if not?

But here was no opportunity to second-guess herself, on the contrary, she now knew with absolute certainty that it was the right time and that he wanted it too.

Leaning over Thorne, Cress took in his features. He was calm, no sign of impatience as he simply waited for her. She carefully laid her hand on his cheek and allowed herself the time to explore and caress his face with her fingers the way she always wanted to.

Her thumb following the line of his brow. The faint stubble on his square jaw. The lines of his lips.

A sigh escaped Thorne, making her smile.

Cress let her lips flutter over the path her fingers had traced before, memorizing the feel of his skin, his taste, his scent. Slowly, Cress leaned in for a sweet, lingering kiss on Thorne's lips, allowing just a touch of desire to simmer between them. There was a tension in Thorne's shoulders as if he resisted the urge to move but Cress was grateful that he allowed her this time to dictate the pace of their kiss.

The gentleness of the kiss faded into something more passionate as Cress moved her lips against Thorne's more urgently. Cress's fingers spread on his chest, hoping to convey every sensation in her body and soul onto him as she kissed him the way she loved to be kissed. She swallowed the moan escaping his lips before lazily making her way to his chin, trailing a path down his jawline and collarbone.

"Aces, Cress." She heard his voice, low and ragged. "If you kiss me like that before I actually die, I won't have any regrets."

Cress looked up at Thorne. His expression was slightly dazed and Cress felt a spark of pride that she had been the one for once to make him feel that way, instead of the other way around. Below her hand, she could feel the faint racing of his heart.

She couldn't resist giving him another small peck. "It seems like you're quite alive."

"What can I say? It's a miracle," he told her with a chuckle. "The power of love."

"Wonderful." Cress poked him in the side. "Because we need to take off in half an hour and get back to the New Texas Military base. Think the power of love will last you that long?"

Thorne's response was to slump his head to the side, eyes drawn shut, once again posing lifelessly.

"Thorne!"

* * *

 **A/N:** _A bit of Cresswell fluff for TLC shipweeks. I hope you enjoyed it and take the time to review. :)_


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